Shanghai GM, SGMW '09 sales grow more than 63%

General Motors and its joint ventures in China sold 1.83 million vehicles in the Chinese market last year, up 66.9 percent year on year, the company said in a statement today. Both Shanghai GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) saw their sales grow more than 63 percent in 2009.

Domestic sales Shanghai GM rose 63.3 percent to 727,620 units last year. The passenger car venture's Buick brand posted sales growth of 59.6 percent year on year to 447,011 units. The Excelle sold 241,109 units, remaining the brand's bestseller for the sixth consecutive year. The New Regal sold 79,930 units, and the new LaCROSSE sold 43,429 units in just six months.

Chevrolet sales in China likewise experienced strong growth, with 332,774 units sold, up 67.1 percent from 2008. The Cruze, GM's new global compact car, enjoyed great success in China, with sales of 92,190 units despite being on the market only nine months. In addition, the Lova had sales of 118,935 units.

In 2009, SAIC-GM-Wuling became the first automaker in China to sell more than 1 million vehicles in a year, increasing its domestic sales by 63.9 percent to 1,061,213 units. With sales of 596,630 units, the Wuling Sunshine set a Chinese industry record for annual sales by a single model.

FAW-GM sold 34,510 light commercial vehicles in the four months after its establishment in late August 2009 with construction of a new assembly plant in northeast Chinese city of Haerbin.

"As China asserts itself as the world's largest vehicle market, our domestic operations will be counted on to deliver solid results," said Kevin Wale, head of GM China Group. "We will continue to introduce cutting-edge products that are leaders in their segments in fuel economy, quality and styling."